The present invention relates to the art area of golf and, more particularly, to a putting practice system designed to achieve putting proficiency utilizing a specially designed practice ball and instructions for the use of the practice ball.
In the game of golf, putting is the one area that a majority of qolfers can be helped and show great improvement quickly. A one foot putt and a 250 yard drive are both equal to a single stroke on a scorecard. Playing well from tee to green requires constant practice and good physical conditioning. Putting well is physically possible by all levels of golfers. Approximately 43% of the golf game is played on the putting surface. If putting can be mastered, almost half of the game thereby mastered.
There are certain putting absolutes that are recognized in the game of golf. The inventor, as a golf professional, believes that at least the following three putting absolutes must occur in order for anyone to successfully make a putt. These three absolutes are:
(1) The putter blade must be square or straight in relationship to the hole or immediate target when putting with a break in the green. PA0 (2) The putter must be swung by the arms and hands directly toward the target. PA0 (3) The person putting must develop the feel to consistently putt the ball a desired distance. PA0 (1) Put a mark on the sweet spot of your putter. PA0 (2) Position yourself directly behind the ball and actually see the route the ball needs to travel to go in the hole. Mentally picture the ball rolling into the hole. PA0 (3) Read the green for possible breaks --Look at the hole and see if it's tilted one way or the other. If it's tilted to the left, the ball will break from right to left at the cup. If the hole tilts right, the ball will roll from left to right. Generally, the ball will roll away from hills or mountains and toward water. PA0 (4) Align your club face square or straight to the target. PA0 (5) Position yourself so that your eyes are directly over the ball. PA0 (6) Form a triangle with your shoulders and arms. PA0 (7) Use your mind, which is a billion-dollar computer, to calculate the distance needed to roll the putt into the hole. Relax and allow your natural mental instincts to make the computation. PA0 (8) Maintain a light grip pressure but keep your wrists firm. PA0 (9) Take a short back swing and a full followthrough using a smooth pendulum-like motion. PA0 (10) Totally concentrate on the target and not your stroke while actually putting.
It is essential that the golfer clearly understand the importance of these putting absolutes and that the golfer concentrate his or her practice efforts to incorporating these absolutes into their putting stroke. There is no room for individual preferences or style in the absolutes and they are constant and must occur. Achievement of the putting absolutes occurs by following certain sound putting principles. It is the inventor's experience as a golf professional that there are at least ten such sound putting principles which must be followed or incorporated into the putting stroke. These ten are as follows:
The ten sound putting principles are designed to help the golfer incorporate the three putting absolutes into the putting stroke. The ten sound putting principles, unlike the absolutes, allow golfers room for individual preferences and styles. Those putting principles recognized by the inventor as set forth above are arranged in the best possible working order to aid the golfer in building a solid putting stroke.
The inventor, as a golf professional, has observed in his studies on putting that golfers are hit orientated. They tense up and pull the putter off line in their attempt to strike the golf ball, rather than stroking it. All levels of golfers do this to some extent.
Over the years, many different types and designs of teaching aids to assist golfers in their putting proficiency have been proposed, utilized and tried. These devices essentially are mechanical devices which will, to some degree, align or confine the golfer's stroke in direction, force and the like to hopefully improve the golfer's putting techniques. However, all of these devices are, to a more or less degree, bulky and otherwise unwieldy and incapable of being transported by the golfer readily between golf courses and upon the golf course itself. It has been the inventor's observations as a golf professional through his study and teaching that what is needed in the area of teaching of putting is a golf putting practice system which can be easily carried by the golfer to, from and upon the golf course and which will provide not only practice putting aids or devices but also instructional material as to the putting absolutes, principles and drills for utilization with the putting aids or devices to obtain putting proficiency. To achieve this end, the inventor has set forth to develop the practice putting ball and putting system based upon sound golf principles and scientific approach to produce results quickly for all levels of golfers as hereinafter described.